By Ronnie Nathanielsz
The focus is now quickly shifting to a fouth showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez for November 10th. Despite Timothy Bradley winning a controversial twelve round split decision over Pacquiao last Saturday in Las Vegas, the rematch doesn't appear to be in Top Rank's plans until 2013.
Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum told BoxingScene.com/Manila Standard “there can’t be a rematch (with Bradley). Its very, very hard to sell a rematch because it was a one-sided fight.”
Arum said they are looking at a possible fight against Juan Manuel Marquez in November but that he would discuss the possibility when Pacquiao returns to Los Angeles next week after attending to the needs of the people of Sarangani who were hard hit by rampaging flood waters earlier this week.
The astute promoter noted that Pacquiao "fought a very close, controversial fight with Marquez that some people felt Marquez won. He fought a fight with Bradley that nobody thought he lost, other than the two judges," whom he had condemned as “blind nice.”
Arum said “I can’t make any plans for Manny until I meet with him when he comes back. I will meet with him and we’ll decide (about staging the fight) either in the United States or Mexico or some place else. We’ll sit down and have an intelligent discussion.”
Arum admitted that promoting a Pacquiao-Marquez fight in Mexico is going to cost a lot of money and that big-time Mexican promoter Fernando Beltran told him “somebody’s got to help out in Mexico to come up with the dollars not the pesos.”
Arum has himself requested the Nevada State Attorney General to conduct an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fight and even asked that his views be taken.
Meantime as Pacquiao continues to appeal to his supporters not just in the Philippines but around the world to calm down and accept the decision, he flew to his home province of Sarangani which he represents in Congress to help in the relief and rehabilitation efforts for thousands who were badly affected by rampaging flood waters.
Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz said the “Fighter of the Decade” would return to Los Angeles and join his wife Jinkee and their four children in a vacation after attending to the needs of the people of Sarangani where he is expected to run for governor in next year’s elections.
